


that could be a start

by 5ambreakdown



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Dialogue, Coda, Episode: s04e09 The Olive Branch, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:07:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29362236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/5ambreakdown/pseuds/5ambreakdown
Summary: “It’s probably better if we just... focus on the business and- and not try and push anything."David laughs something guttural, a little foreign after the hell that was the past seven days. “That’s fucking bullshit, Patrick!”or, david calls patrick's bluff when he says they shouldn't get back together during "the olive branch."
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 16
Kudos: 201





	that could be a start

**Author's Note:**

> this little idea snuck its way into my head and wouldn't go away until i wrote it. it's not really an episode fix-it lol it just shifts the timeline a few hours.

“It’s probably better if we just... focus on the business and- and not try and push anything.”

David stares back at his boyfriend (?) incredulously.

Patrick “it’s the receipt from our first sale at the store” Brewer. 

Patrick “this goes out to a very special someone in my life” Brewer. 

Patrick “we are not tempting fate” Brewer. 

Patrick “you make me feel right” Brewer. 

And now, Patrick “focus on the business” Brewer? That man is a goddamn miracle worker when it comes to multitasking, and David knows it. It’s fucking bullshit is what it is.

David laughs something guttural, a little foreign after the hell that was the past seven days. “That’s fucking bullshit, Patrick!”

Patrick’s composure slips slightly, just enough for David to confirm his suspicion that Patrick definitely rehearsed this little bit repeatedly to appear somewhat put together when it came time to deliver it. Patrick’s mouth closes from when it went just a little slack, and he stands up a little taller, but his eyes have never been convincing liars. 

The area around his eyes is a little darker, his face more pale than normal. He hasn’t slept much this week, and last night was definitely no exception, David’s sure of it. He would really appreciate it if they could just fast forward to the part where they’re able to kiss each other again so David can wrap him up in his arms and usher him to the back so they can take a quick one hour nap together. Patrick, quite frankly, looks as fucking exhausted as David feels.

David makes sure to speak before Patrick can try and hold the ground he doesn’t even want, because David fell in love with a man so stubborn he once fixed a broken shoe string with duct tape because the rest of it was “perfectly functional.” David missed him so much, he can’t even understand how they’re still two feet apart. “You don’t care about the store!”

Patrick’s face morphs into something wholefully angry, and David’s confusion lingers only for a beat. “I’m replaying what I said and I realize now how that sounded - but you know what I mean! Patrick, when has the well-being of the store ever been a factor in our relationship? It’s never been a problem juggling it and us. There’s never been anything _to_ juggle! No balls flying around at all.”

David grimaces, his mouth apparently not working at all today, but he spots the corners of Patrick’s mouth quirk downwards into that beautiful fucking frown-smile that he loves so fucking much. If he gets to see Patrick smile again, David will gladly march through town shouting unintentional innuendos. He will go up to Roland and recite an entire list of double entendres if he needs to.

“Honey,” he breathes softly, “you know you don’t want to just focus on the business. _I_ don’t want to just focus on the business.”

He sees the resolve leave Patrick, left in its wake a softening around his eyes, his jaw relaxing and his shoulders moving down. “No, no I don’t,” he whispers gently between them.

David braves a step closer, Patrick swaying forward slightly. “I’m sorry I took so long.”

And then Patrick’s shaking his head and moving another step forward, hardly any distance between them now. “No, David, I told you to take your time-”

“And I took advantage of that. I could have at least, I don’t know, given you updates? It was never about me deciding whether or not I still wanted to be with you. I just- I just needed to realign some things and see where this new information fit in with everything.”

“I still should have told you. It wasn’t right for me to pretend my past with her didn’t exist.”

“No, it wasn’t. But, Patrick,” David finally - _finally_ \- lifts his hands from where they were clasped in front of him and places them tentatively on Patrick’s shoulders, because he can not possibly be expected to go another second without touching this man. “I think I understand why, and we can talk about all of that later. But I don’t want to spend any more time not _not_ being with you.”

Patrick’s entire face relaxes, and he closes the little bit of space still left between them until they are nearly top to toe. “Me neither,” he says softly, eyes never leaving David’s. Then his face does a thing, a kind of half-grimaced, half-amused movement that draws his head back from where David was absolutely sure they were about to kiss. Fucking dammit. “What do you mean you ‘took advantage’ of the time?”

“I- um. Well, I’ve never been in this situation before! Where someone’s been so nice to me. And generous.”

Patrick’s eyes are so fucking loud and too fucking fond. “I’m sorry, were you holding back on talking to me because you were getting _gifts?”_

“I was very upset. And confused. So upset, that I barely finished the chocolates.”

“David, this wasn’t meant to be some advent calendar of apologies; it was like an olive branch to get you to talk to me.” They’re back to their teasing again. They’re okay. David could cry with relief.

“I just- I guess, didn’t know how many olive branches you were planning on extending.”

“Ideally one!” God, David loves him.

“Okay, well, now I know.”

“Yeah, and now I know that while I was torturing myself, you were sitting at home just opening gifts. I see you like the bracelet-”

“I love the bracelet, thank you.” Patrick’s back. He didn’t lose him, didn’t push him away. David really, really wants to kiss him now. “Does this mean that we are back?”

“You know what, I feel like now maybe I deserve an olive branch or two.”

“Okay, I understand that. What if I gave you back some of the olive branches that you gave to me? I was lying about the chocolates, I ate them all. But I’m sure there are some flowers that are still alive.”

And he can hardly hold back his laugh, joy threatening to bubble out of him by way of tears or hysterical giggles or frantic kissing, or maybe all three if he doesn’t get this man in his arms right this damn second. Patrick is barely holding on, and David can see he’s trying so hard to come off unaffected and confident, but he can feel the buzzing between them and he’s just so goddamn happy.

Patrick’s hands come up to frame his face, and he’s saying something that is all cool and suave but David can hardly focus on the words. He feels their shape, the way they curl off of Patrick’s lips and the way his eyes dance, never leaving David’s. He feels the solid warmth of Patrick’s hands holding his face, strong and gentle and caring and so, so _Patrick._

Patrick says something about going to the café for a drink and pastry, that much makes its way through the Patrick-shaped fog that fills his head, and David wants a drink and pastry, and he wants to tease Patrick, to make him smile and laugh and light David up from the inside out.

David still has an apology to make, he knows that, but he’s not worried that it won’t be enough. It will be enough, he can feel it as sure as he can feel that they’ll be okay. A vague plan forms itself in his head without his permission, but he doesn’t bat it away. He lets it linger, take a little more shape until he knows it enough to grimace at it, and he knows Patrick will love it. Patrick will love it, and David loves Patrick, so it will be enough. 

When Patrick walks through the door fifteen minutes later, a paper bag with two muffins and a scone on top of the drink holder in hand, David is humming the tune under his breath. For the first time in far too long, he has no doubt in him that everything will be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr! [@5ambreakdown](https://5ambreakdown.tumblr.com/)


End file.
